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Speaker : Tao He Affiliation : University of Kaiserslautern, Germany Region : Europe Year : 2022 Language : English An actuator is defined as a special industrial element that transforms signals or energy into linear motions. In microcosmos, an actuator, to be more specific, a nanoactuator or a microactuator, which enables linear motion within micrometers or even nanometers, has immense potential applications in nanotechnology, biology, or medicine in the future. However, current nanoactuators, which are generally based on inorganic substances or extremely complicated biological components, are mostly cumbersome to fabricate. Discovering a simple approach to fabricating a nanoactuator has appealed to numerous studies. Among plenty of research objects, plant viruses could be an outstanding candidate to implement a nanoactuator component. They exhibit inartificial uniform nanoscale particle size, as well as other superiorities, e.g., simple availability, reliability of genetic modification, and biological/chemical stability. Tomato bushy stunt virus (TBSV) is a 30 nm icosahedron virus in the family Tombusviridae [1], which demonstrates various self-assembly behaviors on substrates that are influenced by viral concentration [2], pH value of viral solution [3], viral solution drop position as well as the substrate type [2]. Moreover, to achieve a function like a nanocrane, the M13 phage is utilized to build a tall structure with its length of 800 nm [4]. In addition, the M13 phage will deform itself because of piezoelectricity that enables the actuator function [5]. Both types of viruses and the used substrates can be modified (for viruses: genetic modification) to stabilize the nanoactuator component construction. Eventually, Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy and Piezo Response Force Microscopy will be applied to test the surface dipoles of the as-prepared 3D structures and the actuator piezoelectric properties. It is assumed that this actuator based on viruses would possibly be applied in nanotechnology, biology, or medicine for a nanoscale linear motion output. Moreover, it would be an inspiration for other viral-based nanodevices. [1] A. Lüders, C. Müller, K. Boonrod, G. Krczal, and C. Ziegler, “Tomato bushy stunt viruses (TBSV) in nanotechnology investigated by scanning force and scanning electron microscopy,” Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, vol. 91, no. 1, pp. 154–161, Mar. 2012, doi: 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2011.10.048. [2] V. Rink, M. Braun, K. Boonrod, C. Müller-Renno, G. Krczal, and C. Ziegler, “Self-assembly of tomato bushy stunt viruses on silicon under the influence of the drop shape, drop volume and the virus concentration,” Physica Status Solidi (C) Current Topics in Solid State Physics, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 163–166, Apr. 2016, doi: 10.1002/pssc.201600011. [3] V. Rink, C. Müller-Renno, C. Ziegler, M. Braun, K. Boonrod, and G. Krczal, “Electrostatic conditions define the 2D self-assembly of tomato bushy stunt viruses on solid surfaces,” Biointerphases, vol. 12, no. 4, p. 04E402, Oct. 2017, doi: 10.1116/1.4986055. [4] W. 0 Salivar, H. Tzagoloff, and D. Pratt, “Some Physical-Chemical and Biological Properties of the Rod-Shaped Coliphage M13’,” 1964. [5] I. W. Park et al., “Recent developments and prospects of M13-bacteriophage based piezoelectric energy harvesting devices,” Nanomaterials, vol. 10, no. 1. MDPI AG, Jan. 01, 2020. doi: 10.3390/nano10010093.